THE WEREWOLF DETECTIVE

SOMETHING DEEPER

CALEB

“That’s all I really know,” Arthur exclaimed, losing his composure again. The man was nervously chewing on his lower lip out of frustration.

There was silence in the room for a minute. I was quietly waiting for the teacher to calm down, but it seemed like the silence only made him more agitated.

“We already had a lead and planned to re-open the case. You could be suspected if you stayed quiet about what you know.” I lied this time. We wouldn’t be here if we had a decent lead, but I need to extract any other information we could get. I was never this desperate to solve a case, but every time I imagine Zeke’s face, I feel the same desperation to do so.

The man’s eyes widened, “I-I swear, I didn’t know what happened to Liam.” Again, he was telling the truth but still hiding something.

“Then what is that you are hiding?” I insisted. I didn’t intend to sound like I was accusing him of murder, but I couldn’t help myself. Miguel tapped me on the back, indicating that I should calm down. I cleared my throat and waited for an answer. I could smell his fear and see his knees trembling.

He bit his lower lip again and said, “We... weren’t just workmates or friends. We had a relationship, but everything would change once the truth was out. It would affect my life, so I had no choice but to hide it. But that was it! We didn’t even fight or have any misunderstandings that I could remember. He… genuinely looked so happy that day. If there was something I knew, it was that the rumors that he had a problem and just ran away weren’t true. He had no reason to, but I had no idea what happened to Liam. That’s everything I know, I swear. Please, don’t push me further because it’s all I know.” He eventually spilled what he was hiding.

I heaved a sigh after hearing his statement. It wasn’t as relevant as I thought, but it was still a clue for us. Based on his statement, Liam has no reason to run away either.

“Don’t worry, we believe you.” Miguel entered the conversation, “You’re probably hurt because of his disappearance, too. I’m sorry if we had to know the truth this way. We’ll try to do everything to find him.”

So, that is why I sensed sadness along with frustration from him. I suddenly felt guilty for pushing him for the truth. He loved Liam at some point, and being questioned like this must have been frustrating.

Miguel and I stood as we were already done with the questioning, just when the principal returned.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Clarity,” Miguel thanked him. The man reluctantly nodded. I am sure he wasn’t expecting this to happen, but I knew he was also hoping we would find Liam.

--

“You were never that forceful with your interrogation before. Are you sure you’re okay?” Miguel asked me after we had entered the car.

I lightly scratched my nape. He rarely scolds me for things like this, but I should admit that I went out of line.

“Sorry. I got carried away, I guess. At least now we have a person off our list.” I tried to ease the conversation, but Miguel rolled his eyes and started the engine.

He was driving back to our office when I opened my laptop again and watched the CCTV footage of Liam Montero’s last appearance.

“Well, that wasn’t really useful. What else would we do?” He asked me, but I couldn’t really give a proper answer. It was the first time that I felt so clueless about a case.

“Let’s go back to the office first.” I eventually answered, still reviewing the footage over and over again. It was like he vanished into thin air, but that was impossible. There was footage of him going in but nothing of him going out.

Was the footage edited? But it doesn’t seem like it at all. There was nothing unusual about the footage at all, just that Liam never came back.

“Where the hell did he go?” I mumbled in frustration.

I heard Miguel sigh, “Maybe you should calm down first. It’s just the first day. We could get something if we try to trace the other possible reasons for his disappearance.” He paused, “Although I hated most of that process.”

--

We arrived at the office. Miguel went out to buy something, and I quietly stayed at my desk. Our search could have been more fruitful, but I don’t expect leads to magically present itself to us. But this is the most frustrating case I have ever handled.

Besides, I didn’t know how to react if I saw Zeke again. I’m both scared and eager to see her again. It was just terrifying to think that I might act like earlier.

Mate…

There goes the voice again. I already figured it was my wolf talking, but I’ve never talked to it until now. I didn’t know if the communication could go both ways or how this works. I just knew there was a wolf inside of me, and it was the one taking over every full moon. It was like two souls were living in my body, but instead of the wolf being a parasite, it was what empowered me. I innately knew that this was normal, at least for me, despite knowing that I was different from everyone else. No one was there to teach or explain what was happening to my body. I learned everything on my own and lived like that for years.

“What do you mean she was our mate?” I pulled the courage to answer but didn’t get any response. I frowned but still waited. Maybe this wolf is still preparing for the grand revelation or something.

And I don’t feel the wolf surfacing anymore.

I clicked my tongue, mumbling a complaint, “That wolf only responds when I talk about that woman...”

“Who responds to whom?” I jolted. I was so deep in my thoughts and frustration that I didn’t even realize Miguel was already in front of me.

His shoulders also jumped in surprise, “Just how deep were your thoughts? You’re not usually like that. You’re always aware of your surroundings.” Miguel tried to squeeze some answers from me, seeing how flustered I was.

“It’s about Zeke Montero. That woman... I really think she is the key to my origin. It’s the very first time that my wolf has reacted like that. Something about her is triggering my wolf.” Miguel’s eyebrows knitted.

“We couldn’t properly talk about that. You were triggered in what way? Is your wolf angry at that woman or something?” He threw guesses along with his question.

I firmly shook my head, “No, it was a totally different feeling. I know this might sound crazy, but my wolf is talking to me. I could hear it speak in my head, and it kept saying that the woman was our mate. It’s been years since I’ve tried communicating with it, but it said nothing. But the moment Zeke came… I just lost control. Now I try communicating with it, but it’s totally unresponsive.” I’m usually the calm one between us, but it felt so alienating to be ignored.

He folded his arms while looking intently at me. “Maybe it was a translation of your s****l frustration,” he answered with suspicion in his voice.

My eyes widened with his frustration, “What the hell are you talking about?” He exclaimed, “Zeke is our client. You shouldn’t be speaking like that.”

It was the proper response, although I thought of something like that when my wolf tried to push itself out. It was wrong, but I couldn’t help it.

Miguel gave him a shrug, “So, can’t you be attracted to your client? Besides, your wolf self is basically a representation of your primal self, isn’t it? Maybe you’re just sexually frustrated.” He concluded and shrugged.

I suddenly had the strong urge to smack him but stopped myself. I doubt that this happened all because I was sexually frustrated.

“I’m not talking to you about this ever again,” I concluded with a sigh. I already explained to Miguel that my wolf wasn’t just a representation of myself, but he never understood it. I can’t really blame him either. But I’m sure that it wasn’t just physical attraction. It was something else... something more profound and something I shouldn’t feel with a woman I literally just met.

Miguel suddenly remembered something after hearing my complaints, “Wait, what about your wolf eyes changing color. Did you figure that out? “

I shook my head, “I can’t even change my eyes at will. I wouldn’t be able to check until the next full moon. Are you even sure of what you saw? “I still doubt it. I trust Miguel with my life, but he might have seen it wrong because of fear and paranoia. My wolf eyes have always been blue in the beginning. It can’t just change out of the blue!

And I totally didn’t intend that pun.

He nodded in response, “Yes, I’m very sure about it. It was yellowish, close to gold, to be exact. “

The more we talk about it, the more I get curious and more urge to arrange another meeting with Zeke. But I’m afraid that it would cause another out-of-control incident. It’s unprofessional to meet with her just because I wanted to. If only my wolf could cooperate, but I have no way to control it.